Breaking News: Abia State Governor Tests Positive To COVID-19

The Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has tested positive to the Coronavirus Disease.

Abia State Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, who confirmed this in a statement, explained that the Governor’s sample had earlier returned negative on Tuesday.

However, he said another sample of the Governor tested by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Thursday, returned positive.

His testing positive to COVID-19 makes it two state governors who had tested positive to the virus. The first was the Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Bala.

According to Kalu: “Recall that on Saturday, 30th May, 2020, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu volunteered his sample for COVID-19 test and subsequently directed members of the state Executive Council (EXCO) and those of the inter ministerial committee on COVID-19 to submit themselves for the same test. On Tuesday, 2nd June, 2020. The result of Governor Ikpeazu’s test returned negative.

“On Thursday, 4th June, 2020, the Governor submitted another sample at the Nigeria Center For Disease Control (NCDC) laboratory for confirmation and the result returned positive.

“As a result, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has gone into isolation, as required by relevant NCDC protocols, and he is being managed by a competent team of medical practitioners with a view to nursing him back to good health.

“Consequent on the above, the Governor has directed his Deputy, Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, to act on his behalf pending his full resumption of duties.

“We wish to urge all Abians to take the fight against COVID-19 serious as the disease is real but not a death sentence. Our state has the resources to manage patients back to good health.”